• Painting – Maybe you used to paint and haven’t been able to find the time, or maybe you’ve never picked up a paintbrush. Regard- less of skill or aptitude, painting is a lovely way to let your mind unwind and wander. Pull out your old painting supplies or hit the dollar store for a canvas, paint, and brushes for under $10, put on some music you love, and find your inner Van Gogh (just keep both of your ears). • Yoga – Similar to meditating, the benefits of yoga are extolled far and wide. Even better, online platforms are more plentiful than ever. If you’re just starting, all you need is a yogamat and a quiet space. Practices vary in length, so you don’t have to commit to a more extended session. If you’re a come-and-go yogi or a regular looking to mix it up, try searching for a 30-day challenge. Lots of yoga platforms will offer a free challenge as an incentive to sign up, so you can give it a test run while you’re getting back into your groove. • Gardening – Gardening is one of those things that can quickly become a healthy obsession. It connects you with nature and teaches you new things (just wait until one of your new babies starts looking a little yellow and see howmuch you learn about nitrogen and potas- sium mixtures). Also, like meditation, garden- ing gives your mind something to focus on in the foreground while the back of your mind quietly sifts through other thoughts. • Puzzles – If you’ve ever met a dedicated puzzler, you know. Puzzles are a great way to practice mindfulness while also pulling in other sensory experiences. The artwork you can find on puzzles is endless, and not only that, but you can also have a puzzle printed with your favorite artwork! That way, when you’re done, you can put it in a frame and have a unique piece to hang. Puzzles are also tactile, meaning that part of the experience is the feeling of the pieces. They are also an exciting group activity – start doing a puzzle quietly and see how long it takes for anyone who walks by to join in.
chair, fuzzy reading socks, and a good lamp if you want a place to read. Whatever the intention of your wellness space, carefully choose items that reflect its purpose and things that make you feel calm. If painting isn’t an option, look for a fabric wall hanging in soothing colors that you can use to create the right vibes. Hang prints and artwork that you like and incorporate calming lights and scents. RELAXING ACTIVITIES TO DO AT HOME • Listen to a Podcast – There was a time where podcasts were a niche thing that catered to particular interests. No more, friends. There is a podcast for everyone! You don’t have to sit down and listen like you’re in the 40s gathered around a radio, either. Throw one on your home speaker system and listen as you clean the house, fold laundry, or clean out the junk drawer. Whether you’re in it for edu- cation or purely to be entertained, there’s a podcast that you’ll love. • Journal – Journaling is an incredibly personal -
izable activity. Don’t think you need to begin “Dear Diary” to be journaling. Anything goes – doodles, words you like, quotes you heard, lists of things you’re grateful for, or places you want to go. You might think it’s all in your head anyway, so why bother putting it down on paper? There’s magic in it. Give it a shot. • Read A Book – Whether your genre of choice is wild fantasy or historical biographies, reading is essential for your brain. It takes you out of your day-to-day and lets your mind escape. If you’re not a reader, crack a book and give it five pages. You might be surprised! • Meditate – The benefits of meditation are well-documented and thorough. Recognized as one of the relaxation techniques for stress relief. If clearing your mind to a blank noth- ingness sounds like torture, know that not all meditation requires you to do that. Many are based on a thought or mantra, something to focus on to tether your thoughts. There is a wide variety of meditation videos online, from beginner to advanced and of nearly any length.
CREATE A WELLNESS SPACE A wellness space is a spot that you designate is just for you to unwind and relax. This is unique from having, say, a relaxing living room. A living room is a multi-use space and having it be a welcoming and serene environment is good, whereas your wellness space is singular in its intention, which is to be a place where you can unwind. Where you put your wellness space might depend on what type of area you have avail- able. A spare room is always a great option but not doable for everyone. If you have an open concept floor plan, think about adjusting the layout to create this space. Wherever it is, it should be somewhere you don’t use to work or watch Netflix. What you do in this space and how it is decorat- ed are entirely dependent on you. Set an inten- tion for what you’ll use this room or area for. If you like stretching or yoga, your space might include a basket for cork balls, blocks, a yoga strap, and a blanket. Think of an oversized comfy
103 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
102 SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
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